Goodbye
by batman-defeats-all
Summary: Damian just can't say goodbye to Dick, even if there is nothing else he can truly say. One-shot, character death


**I do not own Batman or any related characters.**

A waterfall of blood was cascading through his fingers as he desperately tried to cover the gaping wound in the side of the older hero.

"Hold on Nightwing, I-I'm calling for backup," Damian's voice squeaked out as his hand that wasn't acting as a floodgate stumbled for his communicator, calling out to anyone who would listen.

"This is Robin, Nightwing is down, requesting backup," he managed to choke out. The silence that filled the air made him freeze, his breathing ceasing, nearly praying for anyone to respond...

"This is Red Robin. What is you location, Robin?"

Usually he would hate for the teen hero to be the one to respond. Today, he didn't care.

"We're-we're in Crime Alley."

There was a momentary pause.

"How badly injured is Nightwing?"

"It-it looks pretty bad..."

"I'm only a few blocks away from where you guys are. Try to keep Nightwing stable until I get there," Tim's voice was firm, but there were obvious traces of emotion in the tone. Slight comfort was definitely there, he must of picked up on the barely concealed fear in his own voice. Another feeling that was present, however, was fear in the teen as well.

It seemed Damian was not the only one worried about Nightwing.

"Red Robin is coming, you just need to keep holding on until we can get you to the cave..." he whispered, trying to hold back an onslaught of emotion. He was trained better than this... They shouldn't be there, they were signs of weakness...

"Wha-what happened, Dami?" Dick's weak voice sounded out, snapping Damian back to attention. After making sure they were alone in the alley, he answered quietly.

"You weren't paying attention, Grayson. You now have a rather deep bullet wound. Drake will be here soon, though, so Pennyworth should be able to operate on the injury before it becomes fatal.:

Dick gave a small chuckle, only for it to turn into a wince.

"D-Dami, I don't know if I can make it until Timmy gets here..."

Damian's masked eyes widened at the words.

"Don't you dare talk like, Grayson! Drake will be here in minutes, if even that long. You can't just give up!"

Dick heaved a raspy breath, closing his eyes slightly.

"Damian, I'm trying to hold on. It-it's painful, Dami. It feels like my soul is being roped in a place it shouldn't be. There was too much blood lost..."

"No!" Damian interrupted, sounding desperate. "I-I was blocking the flow, Grayson. You didn't lose nearly as much as you could have! You have to stay!"

A light, pain-filled smile played on Dick's lips.

"You're the only reason I've lasted even this long, Dami. I know you tried. I... I wish I could stay with you, with Bruce, Jay, Timmy, Babs... everyone. But I have to go."

Damian tried to respond, but he could only choke back the tears that were starting to glisten in his eyes. Dick kept talking, his voice getting weaker with every word.

"T-tell Timmy I'm sorry that I couldn't wait for him... And just tell Bruce and Alfie that I'm sorry... And Jay that-that he's _always_ been my little brother... And Babs that I-I love her... so much..."

"I won't have to tell them!" Damian had given up trying to hold back the streams of tears sliding down his face. "You'll live! You have to!"

"I'm sorry, Dami," Dick's eyes opened, turning towards the boy, the usual bright tone now extremely dull. "I can't stay. But I'll always be with you. I promise."

Damian opened his mouth to respond, but was cut short when Dick's body suddenly went limp.

"Gr-Grayson?"

There was no response.

"No... Grayson! You have to stay!" He desperately searched for a heartbeat, but there was nothing. The young man was as pale as a corpse, but that was surely because of the blood loss, he couldn't actually be-

"You can't go! You just can't!" He tried to CPR, but there was still no response.

"You-You can't abandon me!" The tears were so constant now that they were starting to tamper with the spirit glue holding his mask in place, causing it to start to slip off. The dark blue eyes revealed were full of misery.

"Y-you can't just leave me, Dick! Y-you just can't!"

He clutched the body, shaking it, doing anything to get a reply. None came.

"Robin?"

The voice was coming from behind him. Turning swiftly, he saw Tim standing there, slight worry visible even through the lenses on his mask.

"You didn't come soon enough, Drake! Because you didn't come he's-he's..." Damian couldn't get himself to say the word.

Tim's eyes widened, and he ran over to the body, and was soon staring at it. The composure he had moments before was lost. However, it was only a few second before he was capable of speaking again.

"I-I'll call Bruce. Meanwhile, you should get back to the cave."

"No! I-I have to wait until Grayson comes with me!"

"Damian, Bruce will come and pick up his body. You need to get back so you can explain what happened."

"I-I can't leave Grayson!"

"Damian, get back to the cave!"

"But-"

"Dick is _dead_, Damian! I know it hurts, but you have to accept that and move on for now! There will be time to mourn later!"

The words had been spoken. Those awful words had been said. He had tried to avoid them for so long, and now the truth hit full on in the face.

Nodding silently, Damian stuck his mask back on as well as he could, and swung in the night back towards the cave, leaving Tim to stare at the body sadly.

**For now, this is a one-shot. If I ever have an idea of how to continue it, or even time to, than I will, but for now it is a one-shot.**


End file.
